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(Photo credit: Mrs Logic)

My parents were completely convinced that an undergraduate liberal arts degree was the key to success in life. They argued that whether you went on to be a lawyer, an architect, a business leader, a store owner, or a stay-at-home mom, having a grounding in good literature and a basic understanding of the sweep of human history and culture would provide the best foundation for any future learning - and for being able to interact well with other human beings. Even though I was a music major in college, I read pretty obsessively, mostly fiction and history, from a very early age and - in principle - I agreed with them.

Just today I read a wonderful article in the HBR blog by Anne Kreamer, The Business Case for Reading Novels, talking about some fascinating research that supports my parents' contention. (Anne is my sister-in-law, so it seems this is a familial belief system.) She cites studies that show reading fiction actually increases people's emotional intelligence: their accurate awareness of themselves and others, and their ability to create positive relationships with others based on managing their own reactions.

I loved reading this - it wasn't surprising to me at all. I've noticed for many years that executives I coach who only read non-fiction tend to be somewhat more two-dimensional in their perceptions of others and of situations; they seem to have fewer options to call upon when making decisions or solving problems. I've wondered about the cause and effect of it: Do people who read fiction already see life in a less black and white, more nuanced way, or do they see life in a less black and white, more nuanced way because they read fiction?

The research Anne cites resolves my chicken-and-egg quandary: it seems that reading fiction improves your sensitivity to and appreciation of complex human situations; it provides a richer 'toolkit' of understanding from which to pull when making decisions and building relationships. And as our business lives get more complex, faster-paced, less hierarchical and more dependent upon our ability to build support with those around us - that kind of toolkit becomes ever more critical to our success.

So if you're feeling self-indulgent as you sit out on your porch of a weekend with Game of Thrones or One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest or Lady Chatterly's Lover in hand - reassure yourself that you may be improving your chances of business success just as much or more than if you were reading the Financial Times or the Wall Street Journal.